When We Were Young
by SpiritPuppyLuvrs
Summary: Yugi wakes up one night to find Atem and the other spirits have returned. What does this mean and what trouble will be caused by it? Sequel to "Links in a Chain of Memories" and Prequel to "When We Grow Old"


Chapter 1: Return

Three months passed since the spirits left. Yugi was still upset over Atem leaving. "You have to get past this, sweetie." Hailey said, taking his hand. They had started dating a couple weeks after the spirits left. It was June.

"I can't. I miss him so much." Yugi started crying again.

"Oh, it's all right." Hailey hugged him.

That night, while Yugi was asleep, a light shone in his bedroom, waking him up. A figure appeared at the end of the bed and immediately collapsed. "Atem?" Yugi asked, sleepily. He heard a cry, which woke him further. He hurried over, turning on the light. He gasped. Atem was lying bleeding on the floor, an arrow sticking out of his stomach.

"Yuge…help…" Atem gasped.

"I'll get Grandpa." Yugi hurried out of the room, his excitement and worry fighting for dominant emotion. He returned with his elderly grandfather. "Call 911." Yugi told Grandpa, kneeling beside Atem. "You'll be all right, Atem." He promised.

Paramedics arrived and took Atem to the hospital.

While Yugi and Grandpa waited for word on Atem, Yugi's phone rang. "Hello? Hi Hailey. Wait, Hali? You came back too? Come to the hospital. It's Atem." Yugi hung up. "She's on her way." He told Grandpa.

"It's two a.m.! It's too late." Grandpa exclaimed.

"She doesn't care, I guess." Yugi shrugged.

Hali hurried into the hospital ten minutes later. "What happened?"

"He showed up with an arrow in his stomach. I don't know how you guys got here, but I'm so glad you are." Yugi hugged her.

A nurse came out a couple hours later. "Mr. Mutou?"

"How is he?" Grandpa asked.

"He's in critical condition, but stable. The arrow tip was dipped in poison, but we gave him an antidote. You can see him now. But don't stay too long. It's late." The nurse explained.

Yugi, Grandpa, and Hali went to Atem's room. "Atem." Yugi murmured, going over to his side. Hali stood on the other side of the bed. Atem was still asleep.

"Honey, I'm right here." Hali leaned down and kissed Atem's lips. Atem responded with a kiss in his sleep. "I'll see you in the morning."

They headed home.

Atem jerked awake with a gasp. He had sweated through the flimsy hospital gown he was wearing. He couldn't shake the horrible nightmare he'd had. "Yuge…" he murmured.

A nurse came in to check on him. "How are you feeling, Mr. Mutou?" she asked, checking his vitals.

Atem gave her a blank look. "Where am I?" he asked.

"The hospital. You were shot with an arrow." The nurse explained.

"No, I mean where am I? What country?" Atem asked.

The nurse gave him a strange look. "Japan. Domino City to be specific. It's June 2003."

'I'm back.' Atem thought. "What time is it?" he asked.

"Almost six a.m. Try to get some sleep. Look at that, you've sweated through your gown." The nurse clucked her tongue and helped him dress in a new gown, Atem as useful as a rag doll.

"When can my wife see me?" Atem asked.

"You have a wife? She won't be happy with that cute little brunette that was here earlier." The nurse shook her head.

"No, that's her. I call her my wife." Atem explained quickly.

"Well, visiting hours don't start until eight, so you can see her as soon as then." The nurse answered. "So get some sleep."

Atem nodded and fell asleep quickly.

Hali arrived at eight a.m. with Yugi. "He's still asleep. Should I wake him up?" she asked.

"Too late." Atem murmured, opening his eyes slowly.

"Hey, honey." Hali smiled, kissing him. "How are you feeling."

"Like a million bucks." Atem smiled weakly. "Like a million bucks ran over me."

Hali gave a weak chuckle. "You're lucky. The arrow had poison on it, but they gave you an antidote." Hali started crying.

Atem struggled to sit up and Yugi raised the head of the bed. Atem pulled her into a hug, stroking her hair. "I'm fine." He promised against her hair.

Hali pulled back to look at him and touched his forehead and cheeks. "You're warm. Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm cold." Atem shivered.

"He's got a fever." Yugi said, checking the heart monitor. "I'll get the nurse." Yugi hurried out and returned with a nurse and doctor.

"He must have an infection." The doctor lifted Atem's gown and removed the gauze covering his stomach. The wound was an angry red. "Do you know if he's allergic to penicillin?" he asked Yugi.

"I don't know, he's never taken it." Yugi shrugged.

The doctor ordered penicillin and the nurse hurried off. She returned with an IV bag and hung it up, attaching it to Atem's IV.

A few minutes passed. Suddenly, an alarm went off and Atem's eyes rolled back in his head. "Shit, he's crashing!" the doctor shouted. "Get them out." He ordered, starting CPR.

The nurse shooed them out. Hali paced the hall, crying. "He can't die." She moaned. The nurse brought a crash cart into the room.

Yugi hugged her hard. "He'll be fine." He promised. "I need to call Joey and let him know. Joshia might have comme back, too. And I'll have to call Kaiba in case Seth came back, too."

Hali nodded and watched him walk away. She continued to pace. Ten minutes later, Yugi returned with Joshia and Seth. "How bad is it?" Seth asked.

"He had some sort of reaction to penicillin. "Hali answered, her voice wavery.

"Will he make it?" Joshia asked. Both boys looked pale.

"We don't know." Yugi said honestly.

A nurse exited the room with a sigh. "He's alive. We have him on a different antibiotic. We think it's the penicillin. He's allergic to it. We'll put it in his chart, but make sure you tell the doctors about it if he needs an antibiotic. You can see him now. He's awake."

Hali, Joshia, Seth, and Yugi went into the room. Atem was lying in bed, covered to the neck with blankets. He turned his head toward them. "Hey, honey." Hali smiled.

"Hey." Atem seemed exhausted.

Atem's eyes fell on Joshia and Seth. "Hey, you came back too."

"Couldn't leave my big brother." Joshia grinned. He turned to Seth. "Does Kaiba know you're back?"

"No, he took off for work early." Seth answered.

"That 'll be amusing." Joshia grinned. "Can I come over and watch?"

"Sure. Wait until he finds out I borrowed one of my limos." Seth laughed.

"We'll see you later. Hailey doesn't know I'm back. I answered her phone when you called and left before they were up."

"Same here." Joshia nodded. "Bye bro."

"Bye." Atem kissed Hali and left.

Hailey and Luna were eating breakfast when Hali knocked on the door. Hailey answered it and gasped. "Hali? Oh my God!" she cried, hugging her. "How did you get back?"

Hali shrugged. "I don't know. But Atem, Seth, and Joshia are back. Atem's in the hospital."

"What happened?" Hailey asked, leading her into the kitchen. Luna hugged Hali.

"A poisoned arrow. He's doing okay."

"I bet Yugi's happy." Luna smiled. "I overheard your conversation." She explained. "I wonder where Lena is."

"Right here." Came a voice from the stairs. Lena came down the stairs yawning. Luna shrieked.

"How did you get here?" Luna asked.

"That's where I appeared. I slept in the spare room." Lena explained with a shrug.

"Glad to have you back. Luna hugged Lena.

"Is there enough food for us?" Hali asked.

"Yeah, I can make more." Hailey got up and started cooking them breakfast.

"Can I help?" Hali went over and helped her cook breakfast. They ate breakfast.

Joey was cleaning the apartment when he threw a pillow on the couch that was on the floor. "Hey, what did you do that for?" a voice demanded.

Joey looked at the couch, his eyes wide and it was as if he was looking in a mirror. "Joshia?" he asked, surprised.

"Yep, that's my name, don't wear it out." Joshia grinned.

"How've you been?" Joey asked, bumping fists with him and miming an explosion.

"Good. My brother's in the hospital, though." Joshia frowned.

"What's wrong with Atem?" Joey asked, worried.

"He had an arrow dipped in poison. He'll be all right, I hope."

"Man, that's got to be horrible. I'll have to see him later." Joey said. "Can you help me clean up?"

"Yeah, just remember I've never done it before." Joshia chuckled.

Joey and Joshia cleaned the apartment.

Seto returned home after work to be greeted by Mokuba. "You would not believe who's here." He said, tugging on Seto's arm.

"You didn't let Bible salesman again, did you?" Seto asked with a groan, as Mokuba towed him into the dining room. It was as if he was looking in a mirror. Seth was lounging in Seto's chair at the head of the table, his feet propped up on the wood surface. "Great, the voice in my head is back."

"I resent that comment." Seth said coolly, folding his arms across his chest. "You won't admit I exist.

"You're more annoying than Wheeler." Seto matched Seth's body language.

"I resent that comment." Seth unfolded himself from the chair and stood up, going over to Seto. He stood just a scant inch taller. Seth smacked the back of Seto's head. "Now do you believe me?" he asked as Seto grumbled, rubbing his head.

"Where are you going to live, Mr. Smarty-pants?" Seto asked smugly.

Seth glared at him. "I have my cousin's."

"No, let him stay, Seto. I like him." Mokuba begged.

"Fine. But you better watch your step." Seto growled, sitting at his spot. Mokuba happily plopped down next to him. "Well, come eat."

Seth sat down and they ate.


End file.
